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ABC National Updates
Updates from ABC NATIONAL ABC JOINS NATIONAL WASHINGTON, D.C., June 11— INITIATIVE TO ADDRESS ABC Vice President of Health, INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY Safety, Environment and Workforce WASHINGTON, D.C., June 23- ABC Development Greg Sizemore and today announced it is partnering with National Association of Home the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on a Builders Chief Executive Officer Jerry national initiative to address inequality Howard issued the following joint of opportunity. statement today on the D.C. Circuit Court’s decision to reject a lawsuit As a partner on this important brought by the AFL-CIO to compel initiative, ABC will also host local the Occupational Safety and Health and industry dialogues to further the Administration to issue an “emergency discussion. temporary standard” for infectious diseases/COVID-19: “Now more than ever, diversity, inclusion and equity must be the “We applaud the D.C. Circuit’s forefront of all business decisions,” said decision, which affirms that OSHA’s Brad Lewis, chair of ABC’s Diversity comprehensive response to the Committee and corporate director of COVID-19 outbreak currently supplier diversity for Hensel Phelps. eliminates the need for an emergency “On behalf of ABC and its 21,000- temporary standard for infectious plus members, we look forward to diseases and COVID-19 covering all partnering with the U.S. Chamber to employees. The government is learning address the inequity in our country, new information about COVID-19 and develop action items that can be how best to mitigate related hazards on implemented in our workplaces and an almost daily and sometimes even communities and meet the needs of a hourly basis, which is why a static, 21st century workforce.” intransigent rule would not be an appropriate response. OSHA’s resources “The moral case for greater diversity, are better deployed by developing equity and inclusion in the workplace is timely and situational-specific guidance indisputable, and there’s overwhelming documents, which can be adjusted evidence that greater diversity benefits and adapted as the agency and public the American economy, businesses, health authorities better understand communities and employees,” said U.S. the pandemic. Chamber President Suzanne Clark. “We are proud to partner with ABC on “In the construction sector, even this initiative and help develop a robust without a COVID-19 outbreak, safety plan of action.” and health is always our No. 1 priority. As representatives of residential, This national initiative will build on nonresidential and industrial the work already undertaken by ABC’s construction contractors across the Diversity Committee—formed to better country, we remain committed to reach underrepresented communities collaborating with state and local within the construction sector—and health officials, as well as across provides leadership and direction to market sectors, to diligently identify chapters and member companies to and implement new health and safety promote diversity as an empowering protocols on our jobsites to protect competitive advantage through construction employees amid the education, awareness and business COVID-19 outbreak.” practices.
CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT ABC, NAHB APPLAUD D.C. SEES RECORD REBOUND IN MAY, CIRCUIT COURT DECISION TO SAYS ABC
REJECT LAWSUIT TO COMPEL WASHINGTON, D.C., June 5—The OSHA TO ISSUE EMERGENCY construction industry added 464,000 TEMPORARY STANDARD FOR net new jobs in May, according to an INFECTIOUS DISEASES/COVID-19 Associated Builders and Contractors 23 www.abcpelican.org/newsletter analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May represented the largest monthly increase in construction jobs since the government began tracking employment in 1939, a drastic improvement from April, which recorded the industry’s largest monthover-month job loss.
While nonresidential construction employment lost more than 570,000 jobs on net in April, a total of 237,000 net new jobs were added in May with job gains in all three nonresidential subsegments. May 2020 nonresidential employment was 286,000 jobs lower compared to May 2019.
The construction unemployment rate fell to 12.7% in May, up 9.5 percentage points from the same time last year, but down 3.9 percentage points from April 2020. Unemployment across all industries fell to 13.3% in May, down from 14.7% in April.
“One way to look at this stunning jobs report is to suggest that economists missed the mark by approximately 10.5 million jobs,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Economists polled by Dow Jones had forecasted a decline exceeding 8 million jobs. Instead, the economy added a bit more than 2.5 million jobs. It’s also possible that economists missed the mark by two to four weeks, as the economy opened up faster than most economists expected and consumers have been far more willing to engage the economy than many thought possible given the ongoing personal and public health risks presented by COVID-19.
“For contractors, this is purely good news,” said Basu. “With the economy beginning its recovery sooner and more dramatically than anticipated, fewer projects are likely to be postponed or canceled. Combined with rising contractor confidence, as indicated by ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, this will also help accelerate the recovery of state and local government finances.”
COVER STORY SUMMER 2020 HOW THE CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE SERVE OUR FRONTLINE HEROES
BY ERIKA WALTER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR MAY 28, BATON ROUGE GENERAL
During Phase 1 of our state’s reopening, ABC Pelican was fortunate to host Workforce Feeding Frontlines, a community event for the Merit Shop construction workforce and many of our member companies to show appreciation to frontline healthcare workers and nonprofits by preparing and delivering them meals.
The nearly 40 ABC Pelican companies that participated in Workforce Feeding Frontlines, which took place in the open lot of the Baton Rouge General’s Bluebonnet Campus, served meals to healthcare workers and custodial staff on the campuses of Baton Rouge General, Ochsner Health, Our Lady of the Lake and Woman’s Hospital as well as local nonprofits focused on feeding those in need.
Erik Showalter, President of the Baton Rouge General Foundation, said the frontline workers at the Baton Rouge General were beyond grateful for Workforce Feeding Frontlines.
“It means everything to them,” Showalter said. “To not
only to receive the food, but to see the community out here supporting what they do, feeding them and showing them the support, it means the world to them. It gives them so much morale and it keeps them going.”
A big THANK YOU to these nearly 40 ABC Pelican Member companies that participated in the form of donations, cooking, volunteering, assembling, transporting and delivering the meals: 24HR Safety, ACE Enterprises, Arkel Constructors, Arthur J. Gallagher, Baker Gulf Coast Industrial, Beard Construction, Barriere Construction, Bengal Crane and Rigging, Better Pumps and Solutions, Brown & Root Industrial Services, Bottom Line Equipment, Cajun Industries, Catering Cajun, The Cook Hotel at LSU, Eastern Services, Eustis Engineering Services, EXCEL Group, Five-S Group, Great River Industries, ISC Constructors, LaPorte CPAs & Business Advisors, Merit Electrical, MMR Group, On-Site Medical Solutions, Patriot Construction, Performance Contractors, Prime Occupational Medicine, Primoris Services Corporation, Rauch-Milliken International, Sochem Solutions, Safety and Environmental Management Systems, Southern Earth Sciences, Tiger Industrial Rental, Trillium Construction, Turner Industries, Westgate, Wood Group, and Workbox. Later that morning, dozens of volunteers arrived to assemble the entrée, sides of salad, potato salad and rolls and desserts like bread pudding, brownies and homemade chocolate chip cookies. More volunteers then arrived to load the boxed meals on to trailers, SUVs and pickup trucks. Delivery volunteers then drove all over the Baton Rouge area to provide lunch for and to thank the health care heroes.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
We truly could not have accomplished the enormous task of feeding 3,000 without your help and service!
Ben Fromenthal with Beard Construction Group serves as the 2020 Chair of the Member Services Committee. Fromenthal not only helped organize logistics and volunteers, he also cooked hundreds of plates of jambalaya.
The day began bright and early for our cooks as they prepped thousands of servings of Cajun cuisine, jambalaya and pastalaya specifically, for the heroes.
COVER STORY summer 2020 continued Stephen Toups, President of Turner Industries, current board member and former chair of ABC Pelican, said events like Workforce Feeding Frontlines are a powerful reminder that while we are all in this pandemic together, the healthcare community is charged with the enormous task of beating this virus.
Safety was a priority and focus of the event. Each volunteer and participant had to visit a wellness tent upon arriving, where they were assessed by medical services providers who also took their temperature. Attendees were also required to wear face coverings and specific PPE if they came in contact with the food.
“We were privileged to bring together many of our members in a safe environment to show thousands of frontline healthcare workers how grateful we are for their service,” said David Helveston, President and CEO of ABC Pelican, as the event wrapped. “ABC Pelican is voice of the Merit Shop Construction Industry across much of Louisiana, and we used that unified voice at this rewarding event to say, ‘thank you’ to the true heroes of the pandemic.”
National Excellence in construction awards ABC PELICAN MEMBERS CLAIM TWELVE EIC 2019 CHAPTER AND NATIONAL HONORS APRIL 6 ABC National announced its 92 award winning Pyramid Award: Rubicon AP HyCO construction projects for the 30th annual Excellence GROUP Industries in Construction® (EIC) Awards, and ABC Pelican Pyramid Award: DOW Fender Control Building members took home an impressive 16 of those awards. The 92 projects to earn an EIC award are ISC Constructors collectively worth nearly $2.9 billion. Pyramid Award: Marathon Garyville-10-22 Substation Installation Project Here are the ABC Pelican Member Companies who earned an EIC award from ABC National: Performance Contractors Aggregate Technologies, Barriere Construction, Eagle Award: Valero - SRU 30 Waste Heat Boiler Brown & Root Industrial Services, Cajun Industries, Turnaround GROUP Industries, ISC Constructors, Performance Eagle Award: Phillips 66 - Lake Charles Gasoline Contractors, Sealevel Construction, Starcon and The Isomerization Project Newtron Group. Pyramid Award: Cornerstone – Alkylation Tank Farm Project “The craftmanship of ABC members and their hardworking employees continues to raise the bar Sealevel Construction when it comes to how we define excellence in Eagle Award: Falgout Canal Flood Control Structure construction,” said 2020 ABC National Chair Tim Keating. “It’s an honor to recognize these 92 award Starcon winners for their respective commitments to building Eagle Award: 2018 Maintenance and Turnaround safely, on time and on budget, as well as contribute to Program the communities in which they work.”
The Newtron Group/Triad Electric & Controls
These are the projects and awards received by each of Eagle Award: Valero Diamond Green Diesel our member companies: Expansion Project Aggregate Technologies Pyramid Award: Shell Tiger AO4 Project Pyramid Award: Harbor Island Existing Dock Demolition “These construction projects are the best of the best across the country,” said David Helveston, President Barriere Construction and CEO of ABC Pelican. “Construction is one of Pyramid Award: CN Livingston Siding Project Louisiana’s strong suits and that’s proven through our member companies’ construction and completion of Brown & Root Industrial Services projects like these; they truly stand out above the rest. Eagle Award: Veolia - Burnside Converter The EIC National Awards symbolize the countless Replacement & Capital Expansion Project hours and endless dedication that the men and women in our workforce commit to innovation, quality, safety Cajun Industries and excellence, ensuring that construction remains a Eagle Award: ExxonMobil Dock 5 Project pillar of this state.” Eagle Award: Dow St. Charles Operations – LP6 Debottlenecking Project Of the 16 projects listed above, 12 projects by ABC Pyramid Award: Cleco Bayou Vista-Terrebonne Pelican Member companies received awards for T-Line outstanding merit shop construction projects for the
ABC National EIC Awards and the ABC Pelican EIC Awards Banquet in December 2019. Each construction project show-cases the exceptional talent in our industry and the overall commitment to building safely, on time and on budget. three purposes -- administrative offices, laboratory and control room. Proactively tackling the project, the design-build team determined the most efficient way to create the 100 percent-sealed structure, while battling logistical and design challenges.
Fred McManus, COO of Brown and Root Industrial Services and 2006 Chair of the ABC Pelican Board of Directors, said it’s an honor for Brown & Root to earn a national EIC award.
“Each time I’ve accepted an ABC National Eagle Award on behalf of my company, I am always humbled that my team’s hard work and dedication meets the prestigious standards set by the merit shop’s premier competition,” said McManus. “However, building a better and stronger Louisiana through countless safe and innovative practices is the most rewarding aspect of delivering Brown and Root’s project successfully.”
Here are the 12 ABC Pelican Member projects that received chapter honors in December 2019 and national honors from Associated Builders and Contractors for the 30th annual EIC Awards:
Brown & Root Industrial Services, LLC: Veolia - Burnside Converter Replacement & Capital Expansion Project: Brown & Root completed the converter replacement and major capital expansion project while integrating into an existing chemical process and overcoming a historic high river, complex logistical footprint and accelerated timeline. The project was executed on-time with zero recordable injuries.
Cajun Industries, LLC: ExxonMobil Dock 5 Project: Cajun’s accomplishments on the ExxonMobil Dock 5 Retrofit project were due to a state-of-the-art safety program, exceptional due diligence, quality craftsmanship, thorough communication, and flawless execution. Despite difficulties, Cajun completed the multi-phased endeavor in two locations with a successful startup.
GROUP Industries: DOW Fender Control Building: Dow Beaumont’s “shelter in place” facility serves Performance Contractors, Inc.: Phillips 66 - Lake Charles Gasoline Isomerization Project: To achieve the Lake Charles Gasoline Isomerization Project’s goal of consistently producing premium-grade gasoline for the demanding market, Performance executed civil and general mechanical work simultaneously to meet milestones of the aggressive project schedule.
Performance Contractors, Inc.: Valero - SRU 30 Waste Heat Boiler Turnaround: The Valero SRU 30 Waste Heat Boiler Turnaround included removing structural columns and beams while still supporting the main structure, along with making one of the largest welds that Performance has ever made at 415 inches.
Sealevel Construction, Inc.: Falgout Canal Flood Control Structure: Self-performing 95 percent of the work, Sealevel installed the levees, piles, riprap and automated barge. This infrastructure completes the southern portion of the Morganza to the Gulf Hurricane Protection Plan, providing 1025 linear feet of flood protection for Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes.
Triad Electric & Controls, Inc.: Valero Diamond Green Diesel Expansion Project: This project was a world-class construction endeavor that has once again endorsed Triad’s reputation for excellence in the industry. With more than 119,000 manhours performed in a very compressed time frame, this project was completed with a perfect safety record.
Cajun Industries, LLC: Rubicon AP HyCO: The project at Rubicon in Geismar, La included more than 100,000 manhours and was completed in only 12 months. Cajun completed a challenging project with no recordables, while upgrading an operating plant in difficult space limitations on time and within budget.
Cajun Industries, LLC: Cleco Bayou VistaTerrebonne T-Line: Cajun installed 128 battered helical piles and steel grillage foundations for six transmission towers by using land equipment and barge equipment resources. This project consisted of a year and a half for conceptual planning and nine weeks of construction.
ISC Constructors, LLC: Marathon Garyville-10/22 Substation Installation Project: This project was awarded to ISC as part of the Substation Replacement Program designed to strategically improve the electrical infrastructure of select process units by replacing single-ended and radially fed substations with new secondary-selective substations fed from Main Substation 35-7.
Performance Contractors, Inc.: Cornerstone – Alkylation Tank Farm Project: Cornerstone’s Alkylation Tank Farm Project was a true challenge with the client expediting the schedule upon award of the project to half of original planned duration. Performance successfully completed the project on schedule, working seven days a week, through the holiday season, without injury.
Triad Electric & Controls, Inc.: Shell Tiger AO4 Project: Triad was awarded a $30 million contract for electrical and instrumentation construction for the Shell Tiger AO4 Project as part of a grassroots expansion at Shell’s Geismar refinery. Triad successfully completed 757,698 manhours without an OSHA recordable.
The EIC awards program is the industry’s leading competition that honors both general and specialty contractors for innovative and high-quality merit shop construction projects. The EIC awards honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect and engineer. The winning projects, selected from entries across the nation, were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost.
We look forward to celebrating these #ABCMeritShopProud projects in conjunction with the 2020 ABC Convention in August!
PERFECT YOUR TRADE THROUGH CRAFT & TECHNICAL COURSES
IN BATON ROUGE
Established in 1980, ABC Pelican has educated more than 25,000 craft professionals, provided a variety of professional continuing education offerings, and promoted construction as a career to tens of thousands. Perfect your trade with us through nationally accredited curriculum developed for the construction industry!
CRAFT COURSES • NCCER Core • NCCER Instrumentation Levels 1-4 • NCCER Electrical Levels 1-4 • NCCER Mobile Crane Levels 1-2 • NCCER Millwright Levels 1-5 • NCCER Pipefitting Levels 1-4 • NCCER Heavy Equipment Levels 1-2 • AWS Welding Levels 1- 3
SUPERVISOR CLASSES (Must have at least 3.5 years field experience) •NCCER Construction Site Safety Technician (CSST)
•Project Coordinator (three semesters) •First semester: Print Reading •Second semester: Estimating •Third semester: Planning and Scheduling
About ABC Pelican
Pelican Chapter, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, handicap, union affiliation or veteran status. Persons who enroll in ABC Training Center courses acknowledge that they are physically fit to participate in these courses. In the event of an accident or injury, participants will hold harmless from all liability and/or loss or damage, the Pelican Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. or its agents. This information is subject to change without notice due to enrollment numbers and requirements. Completion of all or part of a training program does not guarantee employment. While it is our goal to train for the construction/maintenance industry, our primary purpose is to train our members’ employees.
19251 Highland Road Baton Rouge, LA 70809
NEW: Fall 2020 Dates
Early Registration: May 4 – 28 (current students only) ICC/GBRIA Registration: June 1 – 30 Open Registration: July 1 - 30 Semester Begins: August 3, 2020
Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday, 7:30a to 6:00p 225.752.0088
Spring 2021 Dates
Early Registration: October 1- 29 (current students only) ICC/GBRIA Registration: November 2 - 30 Open Registration: December 1 - 22 Semester Begins: January 11, 2021
